The jianghu is riven by endless strife, the Northern Di watch like tigers, and undercurrents stir throughout the Great Xia realm.
Tasked with auditing, Lin Yan enters the jianghu for the first time, uncovering the sects' deep-rooted corruption and stirring up the martial world. But before the jianghu's old grudges can be settled, the enemy's iron cavalry reaches the gates of the nation.
Before Hulao Pass, more than a thousand martial artists stand shoulder to shoulder with the defending soldiers, using their own flesh and blood to hold back the hundred-thousand-strong Northern Di army. The battle rages from dawn until dusk. One by one, comrades fall. The heroes who once laughed and bickered now all become defenders who fight to the death and never retreat.
The city gate stands open. The last man stands with a spear in his hand. Arrows pierce his body, which freezes into ice, yet he stands unfallen for three days and three nights.
A long spear, an unbending spine. The jianghu's story ends, its heroes fade away, but their unyielding, loyal souls will forever guard these shattered mountains and rivers.
The plot connects smoothly and naturally, without any gaps, and completely blends the two lines of audit investigation and political intrigue. The character creation completely adheres to the established personality profile. Lin Yan is as cold and decisive as holding a knife when turning over accounts, Shen Youwei is arrogant and rolls her eyes when she wants to speak, Zheng Heng is roundabout and gluttonous with lively humor, Ye Luhong is as silent and forbearing as a dead tree, and Yu Canghai is a vicious and hypocritical leader. All characters are zero OOC, and the group portraits are at the textbook level. The writing style is even more stunning, with both the rigorous hard-core of temple audits and the murderous tension of the confrontation between Jianghu. The section where Zheng Heng teases Yu Canghai in a fancy way is full of laughs without being abrupt. The sword-like ending leaves enough suspense, foreshadowing the subsequent conflict and building up the tension. Evidence of millions of tax evasion, collaboration with enemies and smuggling are dismantled layer by layer. The logic is meticulous and interlocking. The professionalism of the audit and investigation is full. The plot is advanced solidly without being suspended. Every foreshadowing is accurately implemented. The tens of thousands of words are full of content, from the detailed foreshadowing to the high-energy confrontation, which makes the reader enjoy the story and be completely immersed in the huge shady story of the collusion between the government and the military in Fujian and Sichuan. From the creation of the atmosphere at the beginning to the blank ending at the end, every detail is full of skill. It can be called one of the most exciting chapters in the book at this stage. Just waiting for the subsequent plot to explode, I have become a complete fan of this audit martial arts novel!